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Necropsy Report Killer Whale (Orcinus-orca) Canuck

Age 4 yrs — SeaWorld of Florida Name: Canuck (male) (aka- J24, J024) Species: Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) Source: wild capture, 03-12-1972, Carr Inlet, WA, USA, age: est. 2 yrs Deceased: late afternoon, 12-01-1974, SeaWorld of Florida, age: est. 4 yrs Reported cause of death (per NMFS MMIR data): Candidiasis Necropsy info: Diagnosis- AFIP- G. Migaki, DVM (1974): 1. Candidiasis, severe, extensive, buccal mucosa, blowhole, Atlantic killer whale (Orcinus orca), Cetacea, due to Candida albicans, 2. Leukocytic aggregates, plasma cells and lymphocytes, portal areas, moderate, liver. Diagnosis- John G. Simpson, DVM (1974): Mycotic gastritis Notes: Prior to reforms of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) in 1994, holders of marine mammals for public display were required to submit necropsy reports (animal autopsy reports) for deceased animals, making the documents available to the public and scientific community. Presently, marine mammal parks in the U.S. are only required to provide a “cause of death” to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) which maintains Marine Mammal Inventory Reports (MMIR). Details of marine mammal deaths are now a closely guarded secret at U.S. entertainment facilities. The Orca Project acquired the following documents from the National Marine Fisheries Service (U.S.A) via the Freedom of Information Act for deaths that occurred prior to implementation of the 1994 MMPA changes. For more information visit www.theorcaproject.com Necropsy, Autopsy, Veterinarian, NOAA, NMFS, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, MMIR, Marine Mammal Inventory Report, MMPA, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Killer Whale, Orca, Shamu, Death, Die, SeaWorld, Orlando, Florida, Canuck

SEA WORLD, INC.

ORLANDO, FLORIDA

NECROPSY REPORT

PATH. N O - : SWF-001

ANIMAL NAME: CfLNUCK I . D . ' N O . : KW-27

DATE/TIME OF DEATH : 1 r n o

DATE/TIME OF N E C R O P S Y : m e r 1, 1974, l a t e evenins

CLINICAL HISTORY PRIOR TO DEATH: 5

For approximately f o u r months p r i o r t o dea th , t h e animal had e x h i b i t e d s i g n s of weight l o s s , some g ray i sh a r e a s around t h e a r e a e n t e r i n g t h e blowhole, g ray i sh pa tches on t h e i n s i d e of t h e mouth and tongue around t h e t e e t h , .and l ead ing toward t h e d i g e s t i v e t r a c t e x t e r n a l l y . Animal's a t t i t u d e ranged from normal t o depressed dur ing t h i s per iod o f t ime, wi th much v a r i a t i o n .

o t h e r t h a n a . chronic b u t improving anemia, t h e r e was no p a r t i c u l a r s i g n i f i c a n t change i n any b lood-re la ted chemistry o r examinaeion c a r r i e d ou t .

GROSS NECROPSY FINDINGS:

WEIGHT : LENGTH : GIRTH :

Skin: Normal c o l o r ; s o m e areas of s loughing, probably a s s o c i a t e d wi th - l ack of a c t i v i t y . No o t h e r e x t e r n a l s igns . The blubber l a y e r is reduced i n depth a s a r e s u l t of l o s s of weight , b u t i s s t i l l s i g n i - f i c a n t l y t h i c k enough t o provide p r o t e c t i o n from c o l d w a t e r , ranging approximately 4-8 inches i n depth , depending on t h e a r e a sampled. I n r e f l e c t i n g t h e s k i n t o t h e muscle l a y e r underneath i n t h e t h o r a c i c a r e a , t h e r e i s some anemic evidence i n t h e muscular t i s s u e , i n t h a t it. i s p a l e r i n c o l o r than normal.

Upon e n t e r i n g t h e t h o r a c i c c a v i t y , t h e lungs appear t o be normal g r o s s l y , a l though t h e down-side lung i s somewhat congested a s a r e s u l t o f blood and f l u i d s e t t l i n g i n t h a t lung. A t t h e a n t e r i o r d o r s a l a s p e c t of t h e t h o r a c i c c a v i t y , t h e r e a r e two l a r g e abscesses

-2-

- -dd l ing t h e v e r t e b r a l column, one abscess approximately 6" x 911, o t h e r about 12" x 9" . They a r e on t h e l e v e l of about t h e 4 t h ,

-1, and 6th t h o r a c i c ve r t eb rae . They a r e o u t s i d e t h e p l e u r a l c a v i t y . v e n t r a l t o t h e v e r t e b r a l column, probably t h e r e s u l t of lymph node abscession. Cu t t ing i n t o t h e abscesses , we f i n d cheesey exudates ; t h e s e a r e cu l tu red .

The ca rd iovascu la r system appears t o be normal. The h e a r t stopped i n s y s t o l e and t h e r e were no abnormal i t i e s seen.

Grossly-, t h e g a s t r o i n t e s t i n a l t r a c t i n t e r n a l l y appears t o be u l c e r a t e d throughout with l i g h t plaques i n t h e c e n t e r s of t h e u l c e r a t i o n s . It would appear '"9rossly a s though t h e r e i s a mycotic type of i n f e c t i o n i n t h e i n t e s t i n a l t r a c t based on p a s t experience. The stomach and i n t e s t i n e s show t h i s throughout. There i s severe e x f o l i a t i o n through- o u t t h e esophagus and stomach, wi th severe s loughing of t h e e p i t h e l i a l l i n i n g throughout. The small i n t e s t i n e w a l l seems t o be th ickened, w i t h a r e a s of p e t e c h i a l hemorrhage throughout , and some g ross hemorrhage wi th c l o t t i n g blood on t h e s u r f a c e throughout t h e e n t i r e i n t e s t i n a l t r a c t , along wi th t h e white plaques t h a t would appear t o be fungal i n o r i g i n .

The l i v e r appears somewhat anemic, p o s s i b l y with thickened borde r s and a poss ib ly thickened capsule . W e w i l l r e l y on h is topathology f o r t h i s . There i s no evidence of p a r a s i t e s i n t h e l i v e r .

"be sp leen appears normal, a l though somewhat engorged with blood. ,

~ i a s t i n a l lymph nodes' appear t o : b e s l i g h t l y enlarged. These were samples f o r c u l t u r e and h is topathology.

I , ' ' I

The pancreas appears normal.

The mesenter ic lymph nodes appear normal, wi th a milky o r creamy subs tance t h a t i s very l i k e l y an e a r l y abscession.

Kidneys appear t o be normal, wi th some smal l a r e a s of hemorrhage which a r e probably agonal. Histopathology sample was taken.

Adrenal glands appear t o be normal. His topath taken.

Genitourinary t r a c t o t h e r than t h e kidneys appears t o be normal. There a r e no l e s i o n s anywhere i n t h e u r i n a r y t r a c t .

P e r i t o n e a l c a v i t y i s normal.

The eyes appear t o be normal upon removal.

The a i r s a c s when examined were f u l l of a s loughing exudate from t h e su r face of t h e l i n i n g of t h e a i r s a c s . This inc luded t h e l i n i n g of t h e blowhole, aga in reminding us of mycotic plaques.

r e were no l e s i o n s seen i n t h e b ra in .

DR, EDS2iWD ASPER I

SKA k'0l'Y.J 7007 SZA lJ3i;LI) D?JVE O i ' U i D O , PWKWA 32609

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Thank you for coatribotbnl: Chis interesting c.ase t o t h e Registry of , . :

Ccmparativc PatiioZogy. Yotr case n~wbcr is :;!,.Z-50-1.

1. Cand%df a s i s , acvcre, ex tenaive, bticcal mucosa, hPo:~hole, A t l a n t i c k i l l e r wksls (0rci . l :~~ orca), Cctacen, due to Ccndida z?b:lc,rn.s.

2. Lcxkocytic rsErcgritcs, ; ~ l c z ~ a cells end lyit~b~cptrs, portal. c?rcc;s, z:o.iera~e, l i v a - .

~omcc.ncr;: 1imet.0~8 fungal crsoni6h; C n ~ 7 d 1 2 ~ ------- r ? l b : L ~ a i ~ , wcrc zasilj' foand 51 t i ~ ~ superZir:ial port?on ol the mucozs of t h e a ~ i l t h a:rd blo:.:hole. The orgsniszs %rere Lcrjt dc,~or-.strctcd in the ~cc:-iui ls ss:-ll?-:e:! :itch the PAS tech- uique: In ocitlFtion to t !~c uu'lin?-ntoxy r;sd Ic::c::cr'ac:Prc chosigcs fu the mucosn, l a r g e ac::clauietioas of l>l i i~;c? c e i l s 2nd lyrqnocytea ;.:er.c fou;:ii i n

. t h c ou!lerficial yrortj.or? of t .1:~ dcrui9. i h e other ~ ' l ? : i ? i t t ~ d orer?ns were essen t r a l l y non:~l e~rcep t ?or ibc l i vcr . r 1asir.a cells nnd Ppphocy tc3 xcrz foil~lci in n c r l y c.11 of t k t portal oreas t ~ i th l i t t l e or notcl(:~cner.;:tivc

I cllsrt;e.~ in the hipstocytes . Such I lc i~ntfc Icllons arc? rclarively comaoli ir? microocopic f f n:jingn in ce::cc2n uci tca l s i n cur cxpcriezce. Perhaps w i t h the in-#estigstioz~ of nore cascu, ke \:ill bc a b l e to dellenailre the ir sfz- nif icar:cs .

;~Iicroscopic s l i d e s will be s e x to you under separate cover.

G. MIGA!<I, i j .v . i i . i h i c f , Oivis ion of Conprrntive P n h h o l o ~ y

9 2 3 ,G;~rriJo 1)rilc JOHN G. SI!yIPSON, DVM p1:1rill11~~'.1liio11ii:i 9.301 0 1 1 1 ~ SOS .JQ! ; -~ ( IR- I ( u I ! tic A N I M A L P/ITC.IOLOGY SERVICES

8OS.JS2-0083 ( I ~ o ~ i i e ) .. REPORT O F FINDINGS

I . I

Orcinus orca S!JF-00 -1 12-74: 1950 1 i

s---- Case Record No.- i . -

Necropsy t i s s u e s ncn .- Report Date 12-20-74

E,D. Asper Address Sea 'Xorld, F l o r i d a

-- \, i I

Sea \ \ r o r l d , inc. Address f I j/ t !

% . 'I T h e r e i s a plnsnocytosi t r , most ev ident i n l i v e r s i n u s o i d s , lymph I

. nodes, sp.leen, g a s t r i c subnucosa, and t o some e x t e n t , w i t h i n 1 lung i n t e r n t i t i u r n . ,. i

g

The most n ip ,n i f icant f i n d i n ? i s t h e presence of budding hy-phnc (PAS s t 3 i n ) i n t h e u l c e r a t e d mucosa of what' appeal-s t o be

- fore:;";omnck. Tbou,~h c i l l t u r e i s r e q u i r e d t o id . en t i fy t h e fungus, Candida ( l ~ o n i l i a ) i s a d i s t i n c t p o s s i b i l i t y .

The plasma c e l l s nay be a r e a c t i v e process sec0ndar.y t o the J

The n o s t l i k e l y dia , r :nosis here is mycotic --- ~ s s t r i t i s . I n d i s e a s e . of t h i s s o r t , a b s o l u t e conf i rmat ion of t h e fungus ds a primary a g e n t ' i s u n c e ~ t a i n . Tills i s because Candicla and o t h e r fungi a r e soaet imes o p p o r t u n i s t s which invade p r e v i o ~ ~ : ; l y weakened tissue.